Tooth Extractions in Edmonton

While our goal is usually to help you keep your teeth, certain situations can make an extraction the right choice.

In some cases, a tooth may be so damaged by trauma, decay, or infection that extracting it is the best choice for your overall long-term health. If your teeth are tightly crowded, orthodontics combined with extracting one or more teeth may create room so that you are better able to practice home care. Wisdom teeth can create oral health problems if they are impacted (meaning they are stuck against other teeth or bone so they are unable to erupt properly) or place too much pressure on the other teeth, so removing them may be a smart decision.

We know that nobody ever wants to hear that they need an extraction, but we’ll help to make your experience comfortable and less stressful.

What Happens During an Extraction?

Extractions come in two basic types – simple and surgical. Most extractions are considered simple, but extractions that involve a severely decayed or broken tooth or an impacted tooth will require a surgical extraction.

During a simple extraction, you’ll first be numbed so that you are comfortable during the procedure. Next, Dr. Dennis George Anithottam will gently rock the tooth back and forth to help loosen up the ligaments that hold the tooth in place. Once the tooth is loose, he will use an instrument called an elevator to lift the tooth up and out.

During a surgical extraction, we need to make an incision into the gum tissue to reach the tooth. Again, you’ll be numb before we get started. Dr. Dennis George Anithottam will then make a small incision to access the tooth. In some cases, a tooth needs to be broken into fragments or we need to remove excess bone to successfully remove the tooth. If this is true in your case, Dr. Dennis George Anithottam will let you know exactly what to expect during your procedure.

Keeping You Comfortable

One of our goals at Orchards Dental is to make every visit to our office as relaxing and stress-free as possible. We do this in a number of different ways:

Sedation dentistry – We offer both nitrous oxide and oral sedation. If you feel that you would benefit from either of these options, please let us know.

Neck pillows and blankets – A neck pillow can help cradle your neck for greater comfort during your treatment. Blankets help keep you warm and cozy.

Private treatment rooms – You won’t need to share a room with someone else during your treatment. This often helps reduce anxiety and will keep your private information confidential.

TVs and headphones – Distract yourself with a favorite TV show or listen to the music you love during your treatment. Headphones also help to reduce the noises of the dental office, which many patients find comforting.

Self-Care Following Extraction

We will provide you with detailed instructions for oral care while you heal. While your instructions will be personalised based on your procedure and needs, some of the basics include:

Don’t drink through a straw or smoke. The sucking action can dislodge the clot that is needed for healing.

Do you have a tooth that is painful? Are you wondering if it needs to be extracted? Call our Edmonton dental office to schedule an evaluation with Dr. Dennis George Anithottam so that he can examine the tooth and recommend an appropriate treatment plan.

Meet Our Doctor:

Dennis George Anithottam B.D.S., D.M.D.

Dr. Dennis George Anithottam graduated with his BDS in 1998 from the Government Dental College,Trivandrum, Kerala University, in Kerala, India. He completed a compulsory rotating internship (equivalent to a general practice residency in North America) in 1999 after which he practiced as a general practitioner before immigrating to Canada. Dr. Dennis worked at a general dental practice in Yellowknife for 8 years with a focus on root canals and surgical extractions as well as all other aspects of dentistry.

In dentistry, a tooth is described as impacted when it is prevented from erupting into the mouth fully. Most often, a tooth becomes impacted when its pathway of eruption is blocked by another tooth, or by a part of the jaw bone, or sometimes even by abnormal growths in the jaws such as cysts or tumors.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are commonly impacted and seen growing sideways or in abnormal directions, unable to fully erupt into the mouth. Warning signs of impacted wisdom teeth include mild to severe pain at the ...